Bottle stacker



p 3 A. 1-. STECK 2,610,746

BOTTLE STACKER File d Dec. 8, 1948 I 6 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR.

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l 1952 A. STECK 2,610,746

BOTTLE STACKER Filed Dec. 8, 1948 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 By 165mm A. L. STECKBOTTLE STACKER Sept. 16, 1952 6 SheetsSheet 3 Filed Dec. 8, 1948INVENTOR.

A. L. STECK BOTTLE STACKER Sept. 16, 1952 6 SheetsSheet 4 Filed Dec. 8,1948 INVENTOR. M 2.. SM m AW A. L. STECK BOTTLE STACKER Se t. 16, 1952Filed Dec. 8, 1948 s sneaks-sheet 5 INVENTOR. 56. 5M

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A. L. STECK BOTTLE STACKER Sept. 16, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Dec. 8,1948 INVENTOR. M 5 m-a.

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Patented Sept. 16, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I BOTTLE STACKERArch L. S teck, Oil City, Pa. Application December 8, 1948, Serial No.64,130

3 Claims. (01. 214-1) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in apparatus for transferring glass bottles and the likefrom a receiving station, such as a conveyor belt, to a loading station,such as the conveying beltof an annealing lehr,apparatus for thispurpose being commonly termed stackers in the industry.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a stacker whichshall be capable of receiving rows of bottles fromla conveyor belt onwhich the bottles are disposed inrows longitudinally of the belt, or, inother words, coaxially with the line of movement of the belt, anddeliver them to the conveying mechanism of a, lehr or the like in rowstransversely of the moving axis of the belt or conveyor; or vice versa.

It is another object of the invention to pro-I vide a stacker havinggripping means for engaging rows of glass bottles which shall functionto automatically close when thegripping jaws or bars are lowered overthe row of bottles, and to automatically open to release the row ofbottles when they have been placed on the receiving strand of the lehrconveyor. v

Another object of the invention is to provide a stacker in which thebottle clamping and releas-i ing means is coordinated with the swinging,movement of the transfenarm and in which the transfer mechanism isadapted. for :vertical movement when the bottle gripping means are inregister with the rows of .bottlesat the receiving station and when thegripping means have reached the delivery position .at the chargingstation of the annealing lehr. I

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a stacker in whichthe bottle gripping means is locked in its open or closed positionduring the transfer movement of the apparatus from the receivingto thecharging positions and vice verse... n I

The invention will become more apparent from a consideration of theaccompanying draw ings, constituting a part hereof, in which likereference characters designate like parts, and in which-- Fig. 1 is aside elevational view of a stacker embodying the principles of thisinvention;

Fig. 2 a rear elevational view thereof;

Fig. 3 a side elevational view of. the stacker drive; i i

Fig. 4 a rear elevationalview thereof; 1

'Fig. 5 a rear elevationaliview'of. the stacker mechanism and aportionof the-driveimechanism therefor; I 1

Fig. 6 a top plan view of 'the stacker;

Fig. 7 a side elevational view of the bottle gripping mechanism with thegripper jaws closed;

Fig. 8 a similar view with the gripping jaws partially open;

Fig. 9 a similar view withthe gripping jaws in the wide open position;

Fig. 10 a top. plan view of the gripping device and actuating mechanismtherefor; and

Fig. 11 a front elevational-view of the mechanism shownin Fig. 10. J 1 iWith. reference to. the several figures of the drawing, the numeral Idesignates a supporting frame on which is mounted a rectangular frame 2for supporting a cylindrical housing} in which is journaled a verticalshaft 4 that carries the transfergmechanism, generally designatedby the,numeral 15. Also mounted on the frame I is a frame 6 for carrying adrive motor I and a gear transmission 8, the latter being coupled at 9to a shaft 10 journaled on bearings II mounted on frame 2 and a pillarblock bearing 12 mounted ona base 13. Shaft 10 Carries a cam 14 andagear wheel 15, the latter interacting with the teeth of a gear wheel16.journaled in the bearing 12 and a pillarblock'bearing I! for drivinga shaft 18 on; which is; mounted a cam l'9,;the cam, 19 having a camgrooveZU as shown in Figs. 2vand 4 of the drawings. V j

The transfengmechanism spindle 4 is I subjected to vertical movementby;a lever 2| pivotally connected to the spindle 4 as shown'in Figs. 2 and5, lever 2| being a bellorank lever pivoted at 22 and havingan arm 23with a cam follower, 24 that engages the outer :face of foam Hi. Thelatter is provided with a cam groove '25. The cam ,I4 is of cylindricalshape except for the groove 25 andNthe fiat ';and rounded faces 26'andZI of the cam l4. When-thefollower 24- drops in the. groove -25, thespindle '4' drops as does the entire. 'transfer' mechanism which thespindle 4 supports, and'upon furtherrotation ofthe cam 14 the follower24 rides out of the. groove- 25;:depressing 'lever 23 and raisingspindle ,4.- to lift the transfer mechanism. 1 I o The transfermechanism, asshown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6, consists of a pair of triangularshaped frames .28 and 29.,ha'vingia. cross brace .30,'.the frames beingconnected at the-rear. to spindle 4 by a; bolt 31? and being-joinedat'the. front by a spacer sleeve 32 fastened by a bolt 33: The trans ferarms"28 and!!! are journaled onx'the "spin dle 4'by'the housing,designated by 'thezreference numeral 5, tov be freely movable .lthereona lateral plane; and are controlleddn their "movements by links 34 and35 pivoted to the spindle housing 3 at 36 and 31, as shown in Figs. 2and 6. The transfer frames are thus controlled in their angular movementby the links which are pivoted at 38 and 39 to the gripper frame desinated by the numeral 46. The frame housing in turn is subjected toangular movement by a lever 4| actuated by a link 42 pivoted at 43 to alink 44, the latter being slotted at 45 to receive a pin 46 that isadjustable in a slot 41 Of a link 48 pivoted at 49 to a bracket 56.

The link or lever 44 is pivoted at 5| and is connected by a link 52pivotally connected to lever 53 that is pivoted at 54 to a bracket arm55. Lever 53 carries a cam follower 56 that rides in the cam slot 26 ofcam I9. When cam l9 rotates the lever 44 is subjected to a rockingmovement which, through its connection by the link 42 with the housing 5of the transfer mechanism, subjects the latter to angular movementwithin the limits of the swing of lever 44. The distance of movement oflever 44 may be adjusted by adjusting nuts 46 of the pin that is movablein the slots 45 and 41, thereby shortening the fulcrum point of thelever 44 with respect to link 48. By means of this adjustment the swingof the transfer arm 28 can be controlled as desired.

With reference to Figs. 6 to 11 inclusive of the drawings, the frame 46is pivotally mounted on the ends of the arms 28 and 29 by a bearinghousing 51, Fig. 6. The frame 46 is therefore maintained in a positionparallel with the transfer axis of a, conveyor belt 58 by means of thelinks 34 and 35. When the arms 28 and 29 are subjected to angularmovement by lever 4| as described, they can be moved forward to aconveyor 59, Fig. 6, on which rows of bottles 66 are moved in thedirection shown by the arrow. The conveyor 59 moves continuouslybringing up rows of bottles 66 which are shown on the conveyor. They areclosely spaced but do not necessarily contact and are gripped when onthe conveyor 59 by gripping bars 6| and 62 which have their grippingfaces 63 shaped to conform to the contour of the finish or neck 64 ofthe bottles 66, as shown in Fig. 8. The gripping or clamping bars 6| and62 extend the full length of the transfer mechanism as shown in Figs.and 11. They are pivotally mounted at 65 and 66 on the frame 46 and areconnected by actuating links 61 and 68 that are connected at 69 to alink 16 which is pivoted by a pin 1| to a movable frame". When the frame12 is-subjected to movement relative to the frame 46, the link 16 willactuate the toggle links 61 and 68 which in turn actuate the clampingb'ars 6| and 62 to grip or release the bottle neck 64 as the case maybe. The clamping or opening po's'iti'onof the clamping bars 6| and '62is determined by a star wheel 13, .the teeth of which are'provide'd withgrooves 14 which constitute stops for the in II as shown in Fig. 8.

which prevents the clamping bars 6| and 62'from closing. The "star wheel13 is grooved between the teeth, as shown at 15, thesegroovesconstituting a stop for the pin 1| which determines the closedposition of the clamping bars 6| and 62.

The star wheel 13 is indexed to the open or closed position of theclamping bars by means of a ratchet wheel 16 and a pawl 11, the pawlengaging the teeth of the ratchet wheel upon relative movement of frames46 and.12., When the latter separate the pawl 11 is free of the ratchetwheel 16, and when frames 46 and 12.

move in the direction to approach each other pawl 11 engages the teethof the ratchet wheel 16 and indexes the star wheel 13 to the nextposition.

This is demonstrated in the views of Figs. '7. 8 and 9. In Fig. 7 thepin 1| is in the deep groove 15 of the star wheel and the clamping bars6| and 62 are closed. In Fig. 8 the star wheel has been indexed by thepawl 11 and pin 1| abuts against the shallow groove 14 of the star wheelteeth which does not permit clamping bars 6| and 62 to close. In Fig. 9the clamping bars 6| and 62 are in the wide open position, and it 'willbe noted that in this cycle of movement of the clamping bars, frames 46and 12 are gradually approaching from their widest point of separationin Fig. 7 to their closest point of separation in Fig. 9, Fig. 8 beingintermediate the two positions of Figs. 7 and 9. A stop pin 18 preventsthe pawl 11 from dropping on the ratchet at any time and maintains it inproper position to engage the teeth for indexing the star wheel when theupper frame 12 drops.

Relative movement of frames 46 and 12 is effected by means of stops 19and 86, there being a pair of such stops at each station of movement ofthe stacker arm. The stops are stationary but adjustable for height tobring about the proper amount of relativemovement between frames 46 and12 and to vary the degree of indexing of the pawl 11.

8| and 82 that engage the steps 19 and 86 to eliminate jarring when thestacker moves from one position to the other.

The operation of the above described stacker mechanism is briefly asfollows. With rows of bottles moving in the direction of the arrow asviewed in Fig. 6, the stacker is actuated by the drive motor 1 throughgear transmission 8 by rotation of shaft |6 which simultaneously drivescam l4 and the gear train I5 and I6 that operates cam I9. The verticalspindle 4 of the stacker is thereby actuated for reciprocal movementaxially of the spindle which is to raise and lower the stacker frames 28and 29 that carrythe gripper mechanism. At the same time the oscillatinglink 42 is actuated by'cam I9 in the manner described in connection withFig. 4 of the drawings to oscillate the frames 28 and 29 about theirpivot bearing 5. Links 34 and 35 maintain the gripper frame 46 in theposition to align the gripper bars 6| and 62 with the rows of bottles 66on conveyor 59 so that when the stacker has traveled to the position ofconveyor 59 the bars will overlap the bottle necks 64 in the mannershown in Fig. 9. The frame 46 is then lowered when spindle 4 is lowereddue to cam follower 24 falling into the cam groove 25. The springbrackets :BI and 82 will then strike the stops or abutments 86 to holdthe frame 46, leaving frame 12, which is carried by the pivot bearing 51of the frames 28 and 29,.to lower. As previously described in connectionwith Figs. 7 to 9 inclusive, the lowering of the frame 12 causes starwheel 13 to index to bring the deep groove 15 in register with the pin1|. When the spindle 4 is then raised due to the follower 24 riding outof the cam groove 25, .pin 1|, which moves with frame 12, will draw thelink 16 upward, thereby actuating links 61 and 68 and closing clampingbars 6| and 62.. Further upward movement of the take-out mechanism willlift the bottles from theconveyor 59 and the subsequent angular oroscillating movement of link 4| actuated by cam l9 will transfer thestacker mechanism .to

The frame 46,,as shown in Fig. 2, may be provided with resilientbrackets or arms the position shown in Fig. 6 with the slx bottlesaligned transversely of the conveyor 58. The latter may be a lehrconveyor for charging the bottles in rows into the lehr for annealing.When the take-out mechanism has reached the position shown in Fig. 6 ofthe drawings, the spindle 4 again drops and the bottles are deposited onthe conveyor belt. When dropping the bars open as shown in Figs. 7, 8and 9, and this position of the clamping bars is maintained while thetakeout mechanism again swings to the conveyor 59. The cycle of loweringthe clamping bar head, engaging the bottles, closing the bars andtransferring the bottles to the lehr conveyor is then repeated.

While the mechanism has been described as functioning to move rows ofware from a line moving transversely of a lehr conveyor in rows acrossthe conveyor belt, it is evident that it will operate in the reverseorder by adjusting the star wheel 13 to close Jaws GI and 82 when in theposition shown in Fig. 6 and to open when moved in line with conveyor59, Fig. 6.

Although one embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated anddescribed, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications may be made in the details of construction withoutdeparting from the principles herein set forth. For example, the devicemay be employed for transferring other articles beside bottles or glassarticles.

Iclaim:

1. Apparatus for stacking rows of bottles or the like comprising avertical spindle mounted for rotary and axial movement, means foractuating said spindle including means for coordinating and limitingsaid rotary and axial movements, a gripper frame having a radial armmounted for movement with said spindle and having a pair of gripper barspivotally mounted on said arm, means for maintaining the axes of saidbars in a fixed lateral plane, and actuating mechanism for said gripperbars, said actuating mechanism comprising a plurality of toggle linksconnected to said gripper bars and an actuating link therefor, a movableframe for said actuating link, a star wheel constituting an abutment forsaid actuating link, a ratchet wheel for actuating said star wheel, anda pawl carried by said movable frame for engaging the teeth of theratchet whereby the star wheel is indexed in response to verticalmovement of said gripper mechanism to actuate the toggle links to closeand open said gripper bars.

2. Apparatus for engaging rows of bottles moving longitudinally on aconveyor and for depositing said rows of bottles transversely to theline of movement of a second conveyor comprising a support for a grippermechanism adapted for rotary and axial movement, means for actuatingsaid support including means for coordinating and limiting said rotaryand axial movements,

til

a radial armon said support, a frame pivotally mounted on said arm,links for maintaining said frame in fixed relation to said movingconveyors during the rotary and axial movement of said support, a secondframe linked to said firstnamed frame being relatively movable thereon,gripper bars mounted on said last-named frame, toggle links connectingsaid gripper bars to open and close the same, said last-named frameincluding a star wheel having grooved abutments for engaging the togglelink mechanism to determine the open and closed position of the gripperbars, a ratchet wheel for indexing said star wheel, a pawl carried bythe first-named frame for engaging and actuating said ratchet wheel, andstops in the path of travel of said gripper mechanism for holding saidgripper bar frame during the continuing movement of the firstnamedframe, whereby to effect engagement of the pawl with the ratchet wheelto close the gripper bars at the receiving station for engaging a row ofbottles on the first-named conveyor and for opening said gripper bars torelease said bottles when delivered in transverse rows on thesecond-named conveyor.

3. Gripping mechanism for simultaneously gripping and transferring rowsof bottles or the like comprising a pair of relatively movable frames, aplurality of gripping bars pivotally mounted on one of said frames,toggle links for engaging said gripper bars to expand and contract themin their gripping and releasing movements, a link connecting said toggllinks being mounted on the other of said frames having a pivotalconnection with said frame to be actuated in response to relativemovement of said pair of frames, said first-named frame having a starwheel mounted thereon, the teeth of which constitute stop abutments forthe pivotal member of the movable frame and the valleys between theteeth constituting similar abutments at a different radius than saidfirst-named abutment, said star wheel having a ratchet wheel forindexing the same and a pawl carried by the other of said relativelymovable frame members for indexing said ratchet and star wheel when theframes are subjected to relative movement.

ARCH L. STECK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 870,713 Christianson Nov. 12,1907 1,620,778 Odom Mar. 15, 1927 1,795,665 Miller Mar. 10, 19312,119,725 Stecher June 7, 1938 2,253,283 Minaker Aug. 19, 1941 2,332,058Cattonar et al Oct, 19, 1943

